Enclosures provide an important function in society—they keep people and animals from entering unsafe areas, and well as preventing them from trespassing or wandering without supervision. For example, they keep children and pets from entering pools and from wandering in neighborhoods without the knowledge of the parent or owner.
Virtually all enclosures include one or more gates for allowing access into, and out of, the enclosure. However, when mounting a gate to a post, wall or other surface, problems arise when the mounting surface is not “plumb.” That is, the post or wall is not exactly vertical or perpendicular to the ground. Also, in many cases, the surface across which the gate will extend is not level. For example, a gate may be located between a fence post and a wall, and the ground between the two is not exactly level, or horizontal. Installing a gate in these situations is problematic at best, and more often, very difficult.
Therefore, there remains a need to overcome one or more of the limitations in the above-described, existing art. The discussion of the background to the invention included herein is included to explain the context of the invention. This is not to be taken as an admission that any of the material referred to was published, known or part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of the claims.
It will be recognized that some or all of the Figures are schematic representations for purposes of illustration and do not necessarily depict the actual relative sizes or locations of the elements shown. The Figures are provided for the purpose of illustrating one or more embodiments of the invention with the explicit understanding that they will not be used to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.